40 Stories
by Draco's Daughter
Summary: 40 stories to tell about a stoic gunman and a hyperactive Turk. 40 stories to show their life together and apart. 40 Mixed Challenge off Livejournal, VincentReno, some slashy, some not. Current Theme: L.34 Ever the Same
1. Exhausted

**40 Mixed: VincentReno**

40 Oneshots, 2 characters, 1 authoress, let the games begin.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy VII in any of its incarnations.

A/N: This is for the 40 Mixed Challenge over on Livejournal. I took it to try and allow myself to experiment with this pairing as well as genres.

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_T.17 – Exhausted_

Over the past few months of their relationship, Reno had never known Vincent to be tired. It was usually the red head who came home dog tired, crawling into bed on auto-pilot, and falling asleep quickly as Vincent lay next to him, acting as a warm magnet for the younger man. Then Deepground happened. Over the several weeks of the incident, while Vincent had been fighting against the Deepground soldiers on the front lines, Reno had been carefully guarding Rufus Shinra from attack with the other Turks; always worried that word would be sent to him of Vincent's demise. Two weeks after the event was over, there was still no word of Vincent's death or survival. AVALANCE was divided right down the middle over the issue. No one wanted to say anything for certain until concrete evidence came to light.

The red head stepped into the Seventh Heaven once again. Tifa looked up at the sound of the bell that alerted every customer's appearance. Seeing the moping Turk once again, she could only shake her head, knowing exactly what his question would be.

"Sorry, Reno, still no word," she said. Reno let out a defeated sigh, slumping down at the bar with his head on his arms. "Shelke keeps looking. She thinks she'll be the one to find him." Reno growled at the mention of the ex-tsviet's name. Tensions between the two were quite obvious from the moment they had met. Reno strongly felt as through she was trying to steal Vincent from him, fueled mainly by the fact it had been extremely difficult for the red head to win the stoic gunman over.

"If that little mini-bit thinks she can steal Vincent from me, she's got another thing coming, yo. You don't take what's mine without a fight, Lucrecia's memories or not," Reno stated. Tifa shook her head, placing a bottle of the Turk's favorite alcohol on the counter. It was Reno's turn to shake his head. "Believe it or not, Tifa, I'm not in the mood." Reno then stood and left the bar, his feet wearily taking him towards home.

Entering into the apartment he shared with Vincent, Reno casually tossed his keys into their dish on a table by the door and removed his suit jacket, tossing it over the back of the couch. He failed to notice the red cape draped in the same manner in his cloud of misery. Entering into the bedroom, he found a sight he never, in his wildest dreams, ever thought he'd see: a dog tired, worn-out Vincent Valentine collapsed on their bed. Claw and boots removed, head hidden beneath an arm, and blissfully unaware of the other man's presence. Reno had to employ every ounce of self-control not to cry out in joy or bounce onto the bed and awaken his exhausted lover. He calmly and quietly crawled into bed next to his lover, embracing him as he had been embraced many times before and breathing in the gunman's familiar scent.

"Welcome home," he whispered.

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1 of 40


	2. Cult of Personality

**40 Mixed: VincentReno**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own these characters.

A/N: I'd like to thank Demonchildssister, Lemon Wine, and Aeriths-Rain for their lovely reviews. I really do appreciate hearing what you have to say about my humble one-shots.

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_L.20 – "I know your anger, I know your dreams; I've been everything you want to be. // Living Colour "Cult of Personality"_

Reno entered into the apartment he shared with the brooding man he called "lover." A storm had kicked up outside and the small apartment was eerily dark and quiet. Vincent usually had some kind of music playing, mostly classical composers and some light rock now and again. If music wasn't playing, the gunslinger could usually be found in the living room reading, which meant there would be a light on.

"Vincent?" Reno cautiously asked, dropping his keys into the dish on a table by the front door. The red head instinctively reached for his EMR, the quiet filling him with unease. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the apartment for a brief moment. It was only then Reno saw the form that stood to the right of the large, main window.

Vincent had warned Reno about the demons he harbored within him but never before had the red head seen any of them. True, he had heard stories from Cloud and the other members of AVALANCHE but seeing the imposing creatures that were a part of Vincent was a different experience all together.

"Vincent's not here at the moment," the creature replied. He opened luminous yellow eyes and another lightning strike revealed his dark smile, complete with vampire-like fangs.

"I take it you're Chaos," Reno stated. The demon nodded his head, beckoning Reno to come closer. The Turk stayed rooted to the spot, not daring to take one step towards the powerful demon.

"Do not be afraid, I'll not bite you. Vincent gives you enough during your lovemaking sessions for the both of us," Chaos said. Reno's hand brushed against one of the fading marks on his neck, causing Chaos's grin to widen further. The demon stood straight up and slowly began circling Reno, his power seething from him and hitting Reno in waves. Reno silently wondered what to do. He had never dealt with a being quite like Chaos before. The general feeling that Reno got from him was danger but also some kind of sexual allure, especially knowing that Vincent was somewhere deep inside the beast.

Chaos's eyes roved over Reno's body as he circled, coming to a stop directly in front of the obviously nervous man. Chaos's hand slowly came to cup Reno's chin, forcing the Turk to look up into the demon's eyes. Reno squeezed his eyes shut, anticipating something bad to happen. It took a moment before he realized that Chaos was KISSING him! His eyes shot open as he felt the demon's lips on his; Reno relaxed immediately, somehow knowing that Chaos really wasn't interested in hurting him. It was then the demon forced his tongue into Reno's mouth, exploring the space for a moment before pulling away.

"I understand now," Chaos commented, brushing his fingers against his lips, his smile slowly returning. "I approve." The demon dissolved away, leaving a weary Vincent, breathing hard, behind. Reno knelt next to his lover; hand on the caped man's back.

"Did… did he hurt you?" Vincent managed to gasp out after a few moments.

"No," Reno replied. "He kissed me." Vincent's confused expression was worth the entire experience, strange as it was.

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2 of 40


	3. Rejection

**40 Mixed: VincentReno**

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own it.

A/N: Thanks once again to my reviewers: Linichi, Aeriths-Rain, Ida Cippo, Lemon Wine, MorotheWolfGod, Lyly-Ivanov. All of you be rockin' mah RenoVince world!

I'm also happy that everyone enjoyed the Chaotic goodness in the last chapter, be assured he's gonna pop up again.

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_T.21 – Rejection_

"This is so boring, yo! He's probably not going to show up!" Reno whined. He was sitting next to Tsung in one of the newly rebuilt bars of Edge. It had been six months since Meteor and the city was slowly growing as the WRO worked to help repair homes, businesses, and lives. The two Turks were dressed in civilian clothing as to not attract too much attention; they wanted to handle this job as quietly as possible for the moment. Rufus had been recovering well over the past six months but was still in need of protection, which mainly came from the fact that everyone believed he was dead and the Turks wanted to keep that belief alive for the moment.

"He'll be here, I'm certain of it," Tsung replied. As if that was his cue, the person they were waiting for appeared at the door. He, too, was dressed in civilian clothing, seeing as his usual outfit attracted even more attention than the Turks' suits. A red, long sleeve turtle neck shirt and black jeans evoked the same colors as his regular clothing but none of the imposing aloofness. Vincent Valentine would have looked like any man off the street if you weren't familiar with his role in saving the world from Sephiroth and Meteor.

The ex-turk nonchalantly entered the bar, scanned it with his crimson eyes, and then silently made his way over to the table the two Turks sat at. Tsung got to his feet in respect, Reno reluctantly mirroring his actions.

"Vincent Valentine," Tsung greeted, holding out his hand to shake the gunman's.

"Tsung," was the man's reply. Reno only waved. "And Reno as well." The three then sat down. The waitress came over, spying the new arrival.

"What'll it be?" She asked Vincent, seeing as Reno and Tsung had already been served.

"Red wine, please," Vincent replied, the girl nodded and bustled away. "Let's get down to business, shall we?" Reno wasn't surprised; Vincent didn't look like the type to make small talk with anyone, even his own friends. He also couldn't help but notice how very attractive the gunman was. Reno found himself staring into Vincent's unusual eyes, until they gave him an extremely piercing look, causing the red-head to look away. Reno mentally slapped himself, _No! Do not screw this meeting up just because you want to screw the hot Vampire!_ Tsung produced a file from the case he had brought with him.

"Our employer was quite impressed with your performance during the Meteor Crisis. Analysis of recovered Shinra records shows that you worked as a Turk thirty years ago. We'd be appreciative if you'd rejoin us," Tsung said, sliding the folder over to Vincent. The gunman sat back in his chair, eying the folder for a moment.

"Not interested," Vincent stated. The waitress returned with his wine, stopping the conversation for a moment.

"Why not?" Tsung asked once she had left, Vincent took a drink of his preferred Alcohol before replying.

"I worked for Shinra, yes, but I'm not interested in going back to them. That job cost me too much," Vincent looked out of the window as he said this, playing with a pair of rings on a cord that hung around his neck. One was large, obviously a man's wedding band, the other was smaller, likely belonging to a woman. Reno would learn several months later that the rings belonged to Vincent's parents. "I lost my humanity thanks to your company and my father lost his life, I've no desire to return to anything with that negative of a connotation to me."

"What do you plan to do with your life, then?" Was Tsung's next question.

Vincent smirked, a rare expression for the stoic gunman. "As one of the last living members of the Valentine family, I've recently claimed the Valentine estates as my own. We may not of had the political power of the Shinra family, but we did have a considerable amount of wealth. And 30 years of interest really do add up, I've no need to work for money. Reeve's tried to bribe me with a nice position at the WRO but such bribes are lost on me. However, he does have my allegiance, and a small bookshop has my application." Reno had known that Vincent wouldn't of been interested, he was surprised the man even showed up, but Rufus wanted them to at least try to get the ex-turk back. They had failed spectacularly, as always.

"Well, our offer stands if you want to take it," Tsung commented as Vincent slid the folder back across the table.

"I think we're done here, gentlemen," Vincent stated, standing, placing some Gil on the table, and leaving. Reno watched him go, not able to get the gunman out of his head. He followed the same procedure.

"Reno, where are you going?" Tsung asked.

"Just going to make an offer of my own, yo," The other man replied, grinning at his leader and leaving.

When he had a destination, Vincent walked quickly. Reno almost had to run to catch up.

"Yo! Valentine!" He yelled. Vincent stopped and turned around to face the Turk.

"Sorry, Reno, I'm not interested and nothing you say will change that," the gunman replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"This has nothing to do with Shinra. I just want to ask you something," Reno said. Vincent cocked an eyebrow, signaling for the Turk to go on. "Will you go out with me sometime?" A genuine smile spread across Vincent's lips.

"Why not?"

Reno: 1, Shinra: 0

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3 of 40


	4. Goodbye

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer:** I want it, but I don't have it.

A/N: Thanks once again to my reviewers, you know who you are!

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_T.36 – Goodbye_

Vincent always knew that he would eventually have to say goodbye to his friends. It was one of the reasons he was so chilly to AVALANCHE in the beginning. But then his relationship with Reno started, it was probably the closest relationship he had since Lucrecia, causing him to open up to the world around him. Reno had told his lover that he didn't care what the future may hold, that is was truly possible that Vincent was immortal and remain unchanged as the world around him aged.

As the years passed, it came to light that Vincent really was unchanging. He appeared forever 27 in looks and health, despite being of senior citizen status long before any of the group was even middle-aged. Reno and the others were not so lucky. At 30 and 40, it wasn't that big of a deal, at 50 and 60, things started to get a little complicated, especially were outsiders who did not know about Vincent were concerned. That was one of the things that lead Vincent to begin using stage make-up techniques to make himself look physically older. That was also when they had to start saying goodbye to old friends.

Cid was the first to go. The man succumbed to lung cancer at 55, having refused to give up smoking at any threat from Sherra, his friends, or his daughter. That had been a hard farewell for Vincent, especially since they had to watch Cid's health go. The first few weeks hadn't been so bad, the pilot was at least able to make light of the situation and keep active to an extent. Vincent and Reno stayed close to Rocket Town during that time. But when Cid had to be hospitalized, Vincent started to become more uncomfortable. Yes, he would go see Cid every so often, but each time it became harder to go.

"Dammit, Vince," Cid coughed, the stoic gunman looked awkward, prompting the pilot finally say something. "If you're so uncomfortable about being here, you should take that boyfriend of yours and go knock a couple back for me. I'd rather see you still living than shutting down." Vincent looked up at the uncouth pilot that had become one of Vincent's closest companions over the years. Losing him would be extremely difficult. And it was, during the funeral, Vincent stayed far away from the other members of AVALANCHE and Cid's casket, making some believe he hadn't even shown up. Reno knew the truth and decided to give Vincent his space. In their hotel room that night, Reno waited for Vincent to return from the new gravesite. He had stayed until after everyone left to pay his respects to his fallen comrade.

It was close to eleven o'clock when Vincent finally showed up. Reno had remained awake, waiting for him.

"Hey," he greeted. Vincent only nodded in reply, sitting down on the edge of the bed to remove his boots. "You okay?"

"Not really," Vincent said, allowing himself to slouch, looking at the floor between his feet. "It's hard knowing that the world around you will change while you stay the same." Reno didn't know what to say in order to comfort his distraught lover. So, he did the only thing he could and embraced Vincent from behind.

Barret was next in the string of goodbyes. Being the senior member of AVALANCHE, he had held on for 72 years, dying peacefully after a life of hard work. Barret's death was hard on Vincent, but ten times harder on Marleene. Even though she had grown up in the Strife household, she harbored a deep affection for the man that severed as her father for the first six years of her life. After the funeral, Vincent allowed Marleene to wrap up in his cape, like she had done so many years ago to hide from Cloud, as they embraced. He always had a soft spot for the girl, which made it that much harder for him to keep his emotions in check.

-------

Tifa followed Barret. The martial artist had been plagued by several health problems in her later years. The remaining group had done everything in their power to make sure she was comfortable, that Cloud was helped with just about everything, and that the couple's children and grandchildren were supported. Vincent couldn't count how many times he had played therapist during the months that Tifa's health deteriorated drastically. The youngest of their grandchildren, a boy named Skyler, seemed to be in and out of the Valetine-Sinclair apartment several times a week.

"I'm scared," the ten year old once admitted to Vincent. It was a Saturday, clear and bright. Vincent stood in the kitchen of his shared apartment with Reno, working on a soup for dinner. Reno was over at the Seventh Heaven, helping with some managerial things involving the bar. It had moved to a larger location years ago, when the Strife family was still growing.

"What are you scared of?" Vincent asked.

"I don't want to have to say goodbye to grandma. She's always been there, why does she have to leave now?" Tears were running down Skyler's face. "What'll happen after she's gone?"

"I don't claim to have the answers, Skyler, I never have. Want to know a secret? I'm scared too. I've been friends with your grandparents for a very long time and I don't want them to go either. But, I understand that they have to go someday."

"Why?"

"Our bodies get old, they get tired. Especially when we've seen friends leave for the Lifestream. We know that we'll get to see them again in the Lifestream, and that makes things a little easier on us but not for the people around us." _Especially someone like me_, Vincent added silently.

"Then why do you stay the same?"

"That is a story for another day."

"Sorry, Uncle Vince," Skyler said sheepishly, knowing from the gunman's tone he had crossed a line he wasn't supposed to. Vincent had to smile at the nickname the Strife children had branded him with. It had also spread to the other AVALANCHE children and grandchildren. In fact, only Marleene and Denzel had never used it in reference to him.

-------

Tifa's funeral was a quiet affair, even with the press was trying to get in. Keeping them at bay had fallen to Vincent and Cid's daughter Samantha, both grateful for the task. Reno supervised to make sure they weren't hurting any of the reporters and camera crews.

"Dammit, they're feeling bad enough, why you all gotta come and stir up more negative energy! Fuck!" Sam was indeed her father's daughter, keeping the pilot's spirit alive one swear word at a time. The reporters she had been yelling at scattered like crows in her wake. They'd be back.

"You can't blame them, yo. They're just looking for a story," Reno commented.

"Well, the fucker's better look somewhere else. I don't care if it's the death of one of their beloved heroes, they wanna get into this church, they gotta go through me," she replied, bringing a smile to Vincent's lips. The group had decided to hold services at Aeris's church, now even more run down than ever. It was a good place for reminiscing.

The weeks that followed Tifa's death and funeral were difficult, especially for Cloud. The swordsman could oft be found staring into space, making some believe he wasn't long for this world. Cloud had suffered numerous injustices over the years, which made it that more surprising he endured still. Vincent decided he'd pay a visit several days after the funeral; most of the others had dispersed back to their homes, some like Sam and Nanaki were sticking around Edge for a while.

Vincent entered the apartment above the newer Seventh Heaven. The Strife family was still working out what to do with Tifa's personal belongings. Most would be distributed among the family, some would go to charity. Vincent knocked lightly on Cloud's door.

"It's open," was Cloud's reply. His voice had become raspy over the years, a ghost of what it was during Meteor. Vincent entered, the swordsman was sitting on the edge of his bed, photos strewn over the mattress, cane not far from his reach. He had developed a limp over the years from injures sustained during the numerous battles they had fought. He no longer had the strength to wield his signature weapon, arthritis taking a toll there as well. What few knew was that his cane wasn't just an ordinary cane; it was a light cane sword that he could wield with surprising ease.

"Hey," Vincent greeted.

"Vincent, you holding out?" Cloud asked with a grin. Vincent only chucked.

"Pretty good, considering my one hundred and seventeenth birthday is coming up soon," Vincent replied.

"_That_ old, gods Vince, you put my seventy-five years to shame," Cloud stated with a chuckle.

"Chaos won't let me forget it. Says I need to do something special," Vincent said, sitting down next to Cloud.

"What are you planning then?" Cloud asked. Vincent thought as he studied a photo that had been on Cloud's bed. It was from one of Cloud and Tifa's anniversary parties. Probably one of the years before Cid's health had deteriorated, seeing as the pilot was in the photo.

"I'm not sure, I'd rather just forget it all together," Vincent replied, to Cloud's laughter.

"That's what I said to the kids about my fiftieth, but my wishes went unheeded," Cloud stated, slowly standing up and cracking his back. "I'm too old for parties and the like. Getting old's a curse to warriors."

"Ain't that the truth," Vincent commented. "I can't complain though, all the experience, none of the problems."

"Trade me bodies?" Vincent laughed.

"Only if you enjoy sharing with a crazy demon, be my guest!"

"You really do want to age properly, don't you?" Cloud placed a gnarled hand on Vincent's shoulder. The gunman only nodded. "I'd think you'd be enjoying yourself, having all the time in the world. Morality isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Neither is immortality. You've got the comfort that you're getting a reprieve from this life; even if you have to watch your friends fade away you know you'll get to see them again in the Lifestream. No such comfort for an immortal like me. All I've got is Chaos and he's not all he's cracked up to be, let me tell you."

_I'm hurt, Vinnie, _Chaos commented. Cloud couldn't think of anything to say to the gunman. He had a point. Of course, fifty years ago, Cloud probably would have had a nice argument for him, but at seventy-five he knew all too well the pain of living.

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Several years passed before anyone else said goodbye. Vincent never allowed himself to get comfortable though. But, this time it was going to be a nightmare. Reno was currently experiencing small strokes that took a bit more of him each time. The red-head's decent into farewell was long and hard on Vincent. For the first few months, everything seemed fine. But, then things began to take a turn for the worse and Reno had to be hospitalized. Vincent visited everyday, not knowing what to expect from his aged lover. Some days, Reno recognized him, others, he didn't. Vincent tried to take it in stride, but each time was worse for the gunman, especially those days Reno didn't remember him.

"Let me go with you today," Cloud offered. Vincent had stopped by the Seventh Heaven before visiting the hospital. The pair sat at one of the booths AVALANCHE once always commandeered for day-to-day conversations.

"No, you'll just be reminded of your own mortality," Vincent joked.

"Now, Vincent, you'll hurt my feelings. Besides, I'm reminded of my own mortality every time I look in the mirror or when I spy a photograph of myself from twenty years ago," Cloud retorted. "If you won't let me go, then at least let Skyler accompany you." Skyler had become one of Vincent's closest companions now, seeing as the fifteen year old was the youngest of 3rd generation AVALANCHE and wanted to know what the 1st generation was like. At eighty, Cloud's memories were sketchy, but Vincent's mind was sharper than Masume, even after all this time, which made him the ultimate resource for 1st gen stories.

"Fine," Vincent said. Cloud summoned the boy from the upper floors and the pair set out.

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"Okay, so how did Sephiroth wield his sword if it was that long?" Skyler asked as they walked to the hospital Reno had been admitted at.

"Probably through skill and training, but I'm not sure myself. Sephiroth was quite the enigma," Vincent replied. They entered the sterile building, bringing back a flood of memories to the gunman. They entered into one of the elevators, Skyler pressing the button for the fifth floor.

"So, he came back twice and granddad defeated him twice. What's keeping him from returning a third time?"

"Itching for some action, are we?"

"Just curious." Their conversation was interrupted yet again as the elevator doors opened. They exited the elevator and headed for the ward Reno was in. They entered, heading to the Nurse's station to sign-in. The head nurse was quite familiar with Vincent now and knew who he was here to see. Her expression was sad today, Vincent knew that expression, it was on her face whenever there had been a death in the facility.

"Hello, Mr. Valentine, how are you today?" She asked, the usual mirth of her voice gone.

"Good," Vincent replied. "How're things with you?"

"Not so good. I'm sorry, Mr. Valentine, Reno's passed on." Vincent's heart stopped beating for a minute. Reno? Gone? Skyler's eyes widened.

"No, you can't mean that!" The boy stated, speaking what Vincent was thinking.

"I'm so sorry; he must have meant something very special to you both." Vincent didn't hear her; he was a million miles away.

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It rained the day of Reno's funeral. Vincent hadn't said a word to anyone in several days. The group that was at the red-head's memorial service was small. Rufus and his son, with a few new Turks, were there; Reno's old boss finally, truly needing a wheelchair. Rude showed up, he was old but still holding out. Cloud stood next to Vincent, holding a large umbrella in one hand and his cane-sword in the other. Samantha stood on Vincent's other side, holding on to his arm, steadying him as best she could.

"Reno was… a damn good Turk and friend. A little annoying at times, but he had it where it counted and when it counted. Fiercely loyal to his friends, deadly to his enemies, you don't find people like him often in this world. Reno, you'll be missed… partner," Rude said, looking at the rain-soaked grave of his friend and partner. After that, the small crowd dispersed, planning on going back to the Seventh Heaven to celebrate in the way they knew Reno would have wanted. Vincent stood still as a statue.

"Cloud, get in out of this rain. I'll watch over him," Sam said, holding out her hand to take the umbrella from Cloud.

"Thanks, Samantha. You see he gets home in one piece, girl," Cloud said, handing the object over. He limped away, looking over his shoulder at the pair. It was several minutes before Vincent spoke, the first words he said in days.

"Go to the bar, Sam," his deep voice was quiet, unemotional. "I don't want anyone else right now."

"Dammit, Vince! You're a fuckin' stubborn bastard, just like my dad was. You can either mope the rest of your fuckin' life or you can get out of this rut and move on, like Reno would have wanted," She cursed at him. Vincent shot her a glare of pure ice. "Fine! Go on like this, see if I fuckin' care!" She left in a huff, taking the umbrella with her.

A few hours drug by, seeming like eternity to Vincent. Chaos materialized sometime after Sam left, a tattered wing serving as a makeshift umbrella. Over the years, Vincent's other demons quietly left for the Lifestream, but Chaos wasn't leaving any time soon. In fact, the demon seemed to grow more powerful as time wore on. He was able to make a fully-corporeal version of himself outside of Vincent.

"Why do I have to say keep saying goodbye?" Vincent asked the demon. "Why can't I die like the others?"

"Hojo fucked with ya, nothing more to it. I guess that's his real revenge, making you continue on as the world around you dies," Chaos replied, being solemn and respectful for once.

"I want to die, Chaos. I want to see them again," Vincent said.

"I can't help you there, Vincent. I may destroy, but I can't destroy my host," Chaos said.

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Several days later, Cloud and Skyler were headed for Vincent' apartment. The gunman had asked them to come help him sort through things, much like he had done five years before for them. They found the place in total disarray, a depressed Vincent at the heart of it. Photos, letters, and clothing were strewn all over.

"Vincent Valentine! Snap out of it!" Cloud yelled, hitting the immortal gunman over the head with his cane-sword. Skyler was already engrossed with the task of cleaning up the mess, organizing things into piles.

"Why should I?" Vincent asked in a hollow voice. "The one person that made my life bearable is gone and, soon, you'll be gone soon, leaving me with nothing and no one to relate to." Cloud sighed heavily.

"You want me to try and kill you, is that it?" Cloud asked, Skyler dropped some of the papers he had been holding.

"I've already tried," Vincent stated, showing Cloud his wrists. New scars marred the pale flesh. "Those are from an hour ago, Cloud. I'm healing faster than ever." Cloud was shocked. Vincent Valentine, the enigmatic gunman, had turned to self-mutilation to end it all.

"Perhaps I can explain," Chaos said. He stood in the doorway leading to the surprisingly immaculate bedroom. "Vincent's in a state of mental collapse. He's been this way since that day. When you get right down to it, he's dead inside. It's just the shell that refuses to let him go."

"What can we do?" Skyler asked, the demon was just like Vincent had described, causing Skyler to have a whole new set of questions.

"You, little Sky, can't do anything. Cloud, here, can do something. You need to chat with your old girlfriend, maybe she can convince Vince of fully letting go. Really, he's screwing himself over. He thinks he can't leave this world but he can, he just needs the willpower to do it. Something he's lost over the years. Thirty years ago, he might have been able to do it, today… yeah, not so much," Chaos replied.

"I haven't spoken with Aeris in over fifty years," Cloud mused, trying to make a connection with the long-dead flower girl. He was met with silence. "Sorry, I can't get through to her anymore."

_'Maybe I can help, yo,'_ was the reply Cloud got. Reno's spirit, in his full glory, stood next to the window. He crossed over, sitting down in front of Vincent. '_Hey, Vince! Listen up, yo!'_

"Reno?" Vincent weakly asked.

_'Yeah, I'm here. You wanna be where I am?'_

"More than anything."

'_Well, come on! You're not needed here, why stay? Hesitation isn't gonna help you.'_ Vincent looked unsure, as though he didn't believe Reno.

"But…" He began.

'_Trust me, Vince, when have I steered you wrong?' _Vincent Valentine closed his eyes, growing still and quiet. Reno took his hand and tugged, pulling Vincent's spirit away from his body. _'Now, was that so hard, yo?'_

_'I suppose not, thank you. See you later, Cloud,'_ Vincent stated. He and Reno kissed as they both faded away, heading for the Lifestream and one heck of a welcoming party. Chaos smiled, taking full control of Vincent's body, molding it into a human form more suited to the demon. Spying Cloud's expression, he shrugged.

"Well, if Valentine doesn't want to use it….."

"You're horrible," Cloud said. "Come one, Skyler, I doubt anyone's going to believe this one."

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A/N: I PROMISE the next one's gonna be happy!

4 of 40


	5. The Game

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer:** Nothing you recognize belongs to me.

A/N: Again, I promised happy this time, that's what you're getting. I love my reviewers very much!

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_L.38 – I wouldn't want to play you.// Trapt – "The Game"_

"Come on, Reno, you can do better than that!" Denzel said happily, beating the red-head yet again at the game. Reno had been over confident when he had taken up the ten year olds challenge to try and beat the boy at Guitar Hero. Vincent and Reno had volunteered to watch the pair for the evening as Cloud and Tifa took a night for themselves. In truth, it really meant that Reno would goof around with the kids, while Vincent acted the responsible adult for the three of them. The gunman had been playing card games with Marleene before the pair found watching Denzel beat Reno more entertaining.

"This isn't fair, yo! You get all the time in the world to play this game," Reno whined, much to Vincent's laughter. "You want to try, yo?"

"Hand over the controller," Vincent said, giving his lover a break. Denzel smiled; this would be even more fun. "Don't go easy on me, Denzel, and I'll do the same." The boy set about picking the song. While Reno had been fun to beat even on something easy, Vincent would be tougher. The gunman was a quick study on anything, which meant Denzel had to pick something that would trip him up quick and keep him that way. Going down the list, he chose "Knights of Cydonia." As it loaded, he glanced over at Vincent. The gunman was flexing his fingers on the controller's buttons, getting a feel for it.

Once the song started, the pair were definitely in competition. "Knights" wasn't Denzel's best song, he could play it well, but he never really spent much time on it. Vincent, on the other hand, hit a streak right off the bat. Six minutes and seven seconds later, it was clear who the true Guitar Hero was.

"How?" was all Denzel could ask, staring at Vincent in awe.

"I once entertained the idea of playing in a rock band, a long, long time ago. You thought this hairstyle wasn't a conscious choice?" Vincent asked, placing the controller on the floor.

Vincent saw the two kids in bed by the time Tifa had appointed for them. Reno was all for letting them stay up, but one glare from Vincent had the red-head silenced. Reno sat in the living room, waiting for Vincent's return, entertaining the idea of stealing some time with Denzel's game. The gunman entered silently.

"You said you had wanted to play in a rock band and I know for a fact you were a Turk. What happened, why did you give up your dreams?" Reno asked as his lover sat down next to him on the couch.

"Things happened. My father's death had a large hand in it. I wanted to find out what happened to him so badly that I was willing to give up my dream and begin working for Shin-Ra, the people I knew who were responsible," Vincent replied.

"So, you became a Turk simply out of curiosity?"

"It would seem so; I knew it was likely that I'd never find out exactly what happened to my father, but I had to try, at any cost. Especially for my mother's sake." Reno snuggled into Vincent's chest as the gunman put his arm around him. That was how Tifa and Cloud found them several hours later.

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5 of 40

A/N: Short and sweet, I know. The next one's gonna be uber-long, it's 11 handwritten pages right now and waiting to be typed up as well as finished! It's been occupying most of my creativity and I think I'll be able to move on to another theme after I get it finished.


	6. Choice

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer: **Not mine… but someday…

A/N: I'm extremely sorry for not updating sooner. Life caught up with me. I got involved in my school's production of High School Musical and then tragedy struck. One of our beloved Drama Kid Sophomores had a car wreck and died, her funeral was yesterday. In all the confusion, I haven't had much time to write.

The 11-pager I promised will come up soon, just not right now.

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_T.34 – Choice_

_L.29 – "On this perfect night, let the two of us be one."// Hoobastank – "To Be with You"_

When looking back on the event, Vincent felt as though he hadn't of planned it out as well as he could have. It was a happy memory, one worth remembering, but if he had to do it all over again, he'd definitely change a few things.

The apartment that Vincent shared with Reno had been appropriately decorated for the occasion. This was their space, the one place they could shed the masks they wore around their other friends and simply be themselves, and so it was the only location that suited Vincent's tastes. He was a private man, after all, and allowing Reno into his life had been a challenge those first few months when Reno seemed to learn most every secret Vincent held dear and away from AVALANCHE. Keeping this plan a secret had also been difficult, but Vincent managed it somehow, mainly with a little help from Tifa.

Most of the surfaces in their living room that could safely hold a lighted candle did, Vincent and Reno's usual soundtrack of rock had been switched with soft, romantic mood music, and the whole apartment was unnaturally clean. Reno had a bad habit of letting the place get out of hand and Vincent usually only handled his portion of the mess, which was very little. The gunman decided that the place should be truly clean for once. The final preparation involved Vincent's attire. He had agonized slightly over his choice of wardrobe, everything he owned seemed to be either too formal or too Vampyric. Finally, he had decided upon a button-up, red, silk shirt and black jeans. Once the preparations in place, all that was left to do was wait for Reno to return home.

Awaiting his lover, Vincent reclined on the sill of their single, large window and stared out at the sun as it sank below the horizon. His mind drifted from memory to memory involving the red-head. Chaos was being uncharacteristically quiet, the others following his example. In fact, Vincent hadn't heard a peep from the demon all day, which was an extremely rare occurrence. In the beginning, he thought it a blessing not to have to deal with the demon for once, but now he was starting to think of bothering Chaos for a short conversation, anything to keep his nerves in check. Before he could touch his mental connection with Chaos, Vincent heard the door open up. Reno was home.

The red-head looked up to see Vincent still reclining on the sill, looking slightly jittery. He smiled as he shut the door behind him and looked about the room, spying the candles.

"Well, if I known I would be coming home to a sight like this, I would have started home a little earlier, yo," Reno commented, walking over to Vincent and sitting next to him on the sill. The couple shared a quick kiss, Vincent immediately calming down.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Vincent replied. Reno grinned, laying his head on Vincent's shoulder.

"What's the occasion?" Reno asked, curious.

"Nothing too special," Vincent lied in reply. He stood and went over to their small kitchen, pulling a bottle of wine from the fridge and grabbing two glasses. He carefully uncorked the drink and poured some for both of them, taking the two glasses back to the sill. He handed one to Reno and sat back down next to his lover. They sat in silence, drinking slowly as the sun went down.

"Come on, yo, I know you're plotting something. Tell me," Reno inquired, rubbing up against Vincent's arm like a cat. The gunman set his glass down on the sill, pulling Reno up with him.

"Reno, we've been together for about two years now. In that time, I've re-learned what it is to be loved and alive. You're the reason I've hung on," Vincent pulled a small, velvet box from his pocket. "Reno, I want to commit my life to you, but only if you wish it. This is your choice, my love." Reno was speechless for once as Vincent flicked the small box open, revealing to his lover a simple, golden ring with fine, engraved details on a chain resembling the one Vincent wore his parent's wedding bands on.

Breathless, Reno replied, "Vincent, my choice is clear." He allowed a shaky-handed Vincent to aid him in placing the chain around his neck, careful not to snag any hairs. Reno ran a hand down the chain to the ring on it, allowing the band to sit in his palm. A smile graced his features as Vincent tilted Reno's chin up to kiss him. They both knew they made the right decision in each other. Without another word, Vincent led Reno into their bedroom where they both aided the other in stripping away their clothing and Vincent proceeded to show Reno that he had made the perfect choice.

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A/N: Short and sweet, just the way I need it to be right now.

Thanks once again to my reviewers: Lemon Wine, Aeriths-Rain, Lyly-Ivanov, and Ida Cippo. Next chapter will arrive when I get some more free time!


	7. Desire

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine!

A/N: Once again, thank you for sticking with me through this. Reaching 40 is a difficult task when you're a senior in High School! Hopefully, my new Creative Writing class will give me more time to write on these!

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T.35 Desire

With a content sigh, Vincent flipped another page in his book. The Canterbury Tales was one of his personal favorites, next to Dante's Inferno and Dracula. Just as he was getting past the prologue, a pair of very family hands snaked around his neck.

"Whatcha readin?" Reno asked, his head on Vincent's shoulder. Vincent gently patted Reno's check.

"Chaucer, Canterbury Tales," Vincent replied, ignoring Reno and continuing his reading. Reno nuzzled into Vincent's long, dark hair, inhaling the gunman's familiar scent of black powder and earl grey tea.

"You're sexy when you're being all smart and reading," Reno stated, trying to distract his lover away from the tales of pilgrims.

"Thank you, Reno," Vincent replied, keeping on task. Reno exhaled heavily, letting his hands slowly travel down onto Vincent's lightly muscled chest. "Reno, stop it."

"Oh, come on, Vinnie. You're too sexy for me to stop," Reno said, trying to unbutton Vincent's shirt only to have his hands smacked away with the hardback book.

"No! I'm trying to read, Reno." The red-head made a face, slinking off to give Vincent some space. With a smirk, Vincent continued reading, waiting for Reno to return and try again.

_'I don't understand. You seem only to be reading to frustrate your mate. Why deny him when coupling would be much more entertaining for you both?'_ Chaos asked, cocking his head to one side.

'The chase is just as fun as the catch, Chaos,' Vincent replied. 'I plan to make him work for it today.' Chaos shook his head, settling in to watch the game.

Reno lasted fifteen minutes before taking his cause back up. This time he planned not to fail in his goal. Vincent slowly continued his reading, only halfway engrossed as he awaited Reno' next attempt. The Turk this time decided that a more direct approach was needed.

"Vincent," he whined, plopping down next to the ex-Turk on the couch, laying his head on Vincent's shoulder. "I'm so booored!"

"Go pick up a book, Reno," Vincent suggested, using his own book to hide his smirk.

"I not _that_ bored. Besides, reading's so lonely, you do it all by yourself!" Reno replied.

"Well, then, you'll just have to find a way to entertain yourself. I'm busy." Vincent continued his reading. Reno decided to stay this time instead of slinking off. He lounged next to his lover, sighing heavily in a sort of protest to being left to his own devices. Vincent continued reading for another ten minutes or so, finally closing his book to see to Reno.

The red-head was caught unawares as the gunman tossed his book away and pinned him to the couch, smiling a very wicked smile that said their little game was over.

"Wow, Vinnie, you lasted nearly half an hour this time, I'm impressed!" Reno said, smiling as well. The pair shared a nice, long kiss.

"It's easy when you've got a good book," Vincent replied once they parted for air, their foreheads still touching. "I will now proceed to ravage you thoroughly."

"Promise?"

"Promise." It was at that moment the phone decided to ring….

**-----------**

A/N: Again, that now 14-pager is coming. Actually, I'm in need of some input on it. I'd take just about anyone, but preferably someone with MSN. The last scene is giving me a bit of trouble and I'd like a fresh eye on it. If you're interested, please PM me. First come, first serve.


	8. When Worlds Collide

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer:** They aren't mine.

_VRVRVRVR_

_L. 08- What is it that really motivates you: the need to fly or the fear to stop?/ Paverman 5000 "When words Collide"_

Sitting on the railing of the corridor outside his shared apartment with Reno, Vincent allowed the night wind to play with his long, dark tresses. Reno was off on a mission for Shinra, leaving Vincent with his demons for the weekend. It was fine with the gunman, who needed a little quasi-peace.

_'Vincent, release me!' _Chaos whined for the third time that night. '_I need to stretch my wings.'_ The stoic gunman let out a sigh, Chaos was twice as dangerous when keep cooped up for too long.

_'Can you guarantee that you won't harm any innocents?" _Vincent asked. The sounds of the city wafted through his ears, maddening Chaos further with the need to soar.

_'Yesssss. Not a drop of human blood will touch my tongue or claws. Monster blood is not guaranteed,' _Chaos replied, bouncing off the walls of Vincent's mind. With one last, heavy sigh, Vincent gave way to the strongest of his demons. Chaos emerged with a cry of relief, taking off quickly as his wings opened with a nice snap, catching a current and climbing high up into the night's onyx sky. He quickly did a few acrobatic tricks, spiraling around a few times, attempting to release as much tension as possible in a few moments. The demon could be extremely playful when it came right down to it. Everyone who met Chaos testified the beast was powerful and deadly, but also possessed a very strange and morbid sense of humor as well as fun. Keeping the beast contained was a 24-hour job for Vincent, even with the protomateria firmly in place. Letting him come out and "play" every so often kept him in check far better than keeping him under wraps all the time.

Flying was as much a privilege for Vincent as it was for Chaos. The demon allowed his master to remain at the surface of his consciousness, far enough under to keep him from interfering but close enough to the top to allow him to experience the journey. So Vincent could feel everything Chaos felt: the wind ruffling his hair, the view of the city far below, and the foreign yet strangely familiar feeling of wing muscles pumping to keep them in the sky. When Chaos flew free, unbound, and without destination, he tended to do what Vincent could only call "sky dancing." It was a frivolous form of flying, with plenty of dips and spins, dives and circling climbs. Most believed that, to Chaos, fun was battle. True, the thrill of the fight was an unparalleled sensation to the demon, without doubt. The rush of battle was just one of Chaos's drugs, his addictions, but it was balanced with his need to fly free, without boundaries set by Vincent, OMEGA, or anyone else. Flight was ecstasy, a pure release from everything. The world faded away when he took to the skies, forgotten in a single moment. All that mattered was wind and sky, nothing more.

Chaos perched atop a high-rise building, likely belonging to some recovering business, catching his breath. He had flown for a good hour and a half, warranting a small breather. The wind ruffled his hair and tattered wings and the glow of the protomateria was strong in the darkness.

_'What troubles you, Chaos? Is the city not large enough for your wings?'_ Vincent teased playfully. Chaos smirked; his host's jab was well placed, in a sense.

"Your glass and iron forests are playground enough. But, there was once a time, long before man, when a demon could fly free and without obstacle. Only the Cetra ever tried to stop him, and even then they would only do so when he became a problem, attacking needlessly and without reason. Sometimes, I wish those times were still here, despite the advantages having you as a host in this day and age bring me," Chaos said, looking down at the city of Edge below.

_'And what are those benefits, if I may ask?'_ Vincent requested.

"Well, someone to drive insane, for one. Your mate is always entertaining to observe, for another, and having corporeal form is always nice," Chaos replied, a wicked smile crossing his lips. Vincent could only shake his head at the demon's comment. Chaos then stood and leapt off the building, wings catching the air once again.

Reno was in an extremely good mood. His mission had gone well, without incident, and he was able to come home a day earlier than expected. Arriving late last night, he decided just to crash at the Shinra tower, but he was ready to be home. Opening the door to his and Vincent's apartment, he half expected the gunman to be reading in the living room or possibly getting himself some breakfast, it wasn't in Vincent's nature to sleep in. But when he wasn't in either location, Reno immediately headed for the bedroom, tossing his suit jacket over the back of the couch.

"Vincent?" He called quietly, creeping into their private sanctuary. A nest of blankets was the gunman, much to Reno's surprise. He crept onto the bed, trying to tug apart the nest to find his lover.

"Wha? Who's there?" Vincent asked groggily, opening one crimson eye. Reno only kept at his work, snuggling in with his lover.

"Nobody important, just your lover," Reno replied. Vincent opened both eyes, blinking away sleep. "Chaos took you flying again?"

"Yeah, he did," Vincent said, running his hand through Reno's hair. The one thing Reno liked about Chaos taking Vincent out for a flight was the fact Vincent was exhausted and relaxed, nearly putty in Reno's hands. Everything Reno had been planning on doing that day with his lover was scratched off his mental "to-do" list, he was content just laying next to the gunman and watching him sleep. Allowing Chaos to take over drained Vincent in a way no other activity did, sleep was the only way to recover, so sleep Vincent would.

_VRVRVRVR_

8 of 40


	9. Memories

**40 Mixed: VincentReno**

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapters.

A/N: Again, I am very sorry to taking so long to update. Life got busy again. I'm about to graduate high school so my life is now one constant stream of forms, tests, and huge assignments with looming deadlines. Regular updates should begin sometime after May 19th.

VRVRVRVRVRVRVR

_T.16 Memories_

It was a lazy day, the kind of day Reno just wanted to sleep in and relax with Vincent. But the stoic gunman would have none of that. He had become engrossed in another project, this time it involved a lot of papers and big, cedar chest. The chest had recently arrived at their shared apartment and had been neglected in a corner while Vincent danced around with opening it. Finally, he had decided that it needed to be sorted through, even though it would awaken some painful memories.

So, bright and early on a Saturday morning, Vincent set to work. Reno lay on the couch, watching him as he went through yellowing newspaper articles and photographs.

"What is all that?" He finally asked, watching the gunner's expression as he sorted through another stack of photographs.

"I got in contact with my brother a few months back, he said he'd send me some stuff to help me come to grips with everything that's changed in our family," Vincent replied. Reno sat up and went over to where Vincent was sitting, cross-legged, on the ground, picking up an article. The header read: "_Heiress to Kalm Rifle Company to Wed Grimorie Valentine."_

"You've got a brother?" Reno asked, he had never heard the gunman say anything about other family members.

"Yes, he's named Mercutio," Vincent said.

"And he's not crazy in any way?"

"Nope, he was actually the "black sheep" in the family because he decided to be a White Mage instead of a gunner." Vincent handed Reno an old photo, showing a teenaged Vincent next to a boy a few years younger, both had black hair but the younger, obviously Mercutio, had grey eyes instead of red. "He took after my mother's side of the family."

"Your mom was the heir to the Kalm Rifle Company?" Reno was looking at a photo of a beautiful woman with long dark hair and steel-grey eyes. She was posed with a pistol, a rosary hanging around her neck.

"Yes, my grandmother ran the company, it had been intended that I take over once grandmother died."

"Why'd you join the Turks instead?"

"It has everything to do with what happened to my father. Mother never trusted Shinra, not even then, and had always tried to get father to stop working for them, he didn't really need to anyways, but he was in love with what he was doing and couldn't be torn away from it. When he was reported M.I.A. by Shinra, my mother knew something was suspicious. She became even more suspicious when they started to come, asking for money to pay large debts that my father apparently owed them."

"And what did she do, exactly?" Reno wanted to know, Vincent was rarely so talkative about his past and Reno's curiosity was perked now. As a Turk, his curious nature had been fostered and trained to seek out information that could possibly be useful; it had caused him to become something of a gossip and any story was fair game.

"Well, I remember the second time they came to the house. Kalm wasn't so urban back then, and we lived on the outskirts of the city. It was the perfect place for a gunfight with Shinra troops…"

_I awoke to some quick knocking on my bedroom door..._ Looking over at my alarm clock, I saw it was around six thirty in the morning. Who in their right mind was trying to wake me up?

"Vince?" Yep, it was Mercutio. My little brother was going to be target practice in a few minutes.

"What?" I asked groggily, scratch that, he was going to become target practice when I was fully awake in several hours.

"Mom says to get up, we've got company in about thirty minutes," he replied. Then I remembered, today was the day Shinra was coming to "collect debts owed them" again. I tossed the covers off me, going to get dressed. I pulled on a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt, and a red dress shirt, left unbuttoned. Valentine family tradition dictated that each family member had an assigned color that dominated their wardrobe. Mine happened to be red. I picked up the carefully crafted handgun that had been given to me on my 21st birthday and tucked it into my waistband, pulling the t-shirt over to cover it. Never go into negotiations un-armed, as my maternal grandfather used to say before his death. I exited my room, heading for the stairs to the first level. My grandmother passed by, carrying a bag of ammunition, she was cackling as always.

"Shinra dogs gonna get shot today… do dah, do dah," she sang to herself. She had never gotten along with my father; she believed that his long stints away from the house weren't good for a marriage. Whenever he was gone, she was here keeping my mother, her daughter, company. It didn't help that she tried to shoot him with her cane-rifle every time he did show his face. "Vincent! What've you got?"

"Just the usual, Granny," I replied, patting where I had hidden my handgun. She scoffed.

"We need to get you something more powerful, boy, you can't carry that little thing around forever, you know," she replied, continuing with her work. I sighed and continued on my way. I needed to report to the head boss, mother.

She sat in father's study, going over numbers my father had kept, making sure we didn't owe Shinra anything. I knocked on the open door, alerting her to my presence. She was the type of person to pull her revolver on you if you surprised her, so we always had to make sure she knew we were there.

"I still don't get why they claim we owe them anything. I've checked Grimorie's accounts, unless he made several large purchases on Shinra company credit right before he went MIA, we don't owe them a cent," she said, closing the ledger father had kept his records in, looking up at me.

"Shinra's a greedy man, he always has been. Me probably made up something to charge us for," I replied. Mother stood, placing her revolver at her back.

"We'll play nice. It they don't believe us, a forceful removal will be required." She picked up the ledger, planning to use it to try and sway them off their fruitless cause. She took it into the sitting room, where we would play host to the Shinra dogs. "You'll let them in and bring them here, Granny will serve tea, we shall discuss things, and then there may or may not be a firefight. I am so hoping there shall be one; I need to shoot at something besides a static target." As if on cue, the doorbell rang. My mother nodded at me and I headed for the front door, making sure they couldn't tell I was armed. When I opened the door, three men from Shinra stood there, dressed in suits.

"Good morning is Mrs. Valentine at home?" one asked. My eyes narrowed, what kind of stupid question was that? I was sorely temped to pull out my weapon right then and there, but I remembered I had to play nice at first.

"Yes, she is. Follow me," I replied, opening the oak door wide, beckoning them in. I love how our front door has a very ominous sound when it closes, rather like that of a mausoleum door. The sound of the lock locking is even more disheartening. I silently lead them into the sitting room. Mother was sitting on the love seat, reading a book. She was making it look as though their arrival hadn't been anticipated.

"Oh! I did not expect you to call so early," she lied, a look of surprise on her face. "Vincent, why don't you go tell Granny to pull down a few extra cups. I'm sure these men will enjoy a little tea during our conversation."

"Yes, mother," I said, heading for the kitchen.

Indeed, Granny was in there, humming some song, probably her own rendition of "Camptown Racetrack" known as "Shinra Dogs."

"Ah, Vincent, you arrived right when I need you. Could you put that stature of yours to good use and get down the cyanide for me?" She asked, pointing at the bottle of poison I had specifically put out of her reach. She was always trying to poison someone, usually my father when he decided to show his face. It had been the neighbor's dog last week, the beast had been digging up part of her "flower" garden, in truth it was her hemlock supply.

"Granny! We're not going to poison them! That'd look bad," I said.

"Young man! You do as your elders tell you!"

"I'm sorry Granny, but I can't do that."

"Fine, then, you take in this tea tray. Young wayward whippersnappers, in my day we always did as we were told!" I sighed as I picked up the tray. She'd feel better once she had the chance to shoot at the Shinra representatives. She followed me, grumbling, as I returned to the sitting room. Mother had obviously been making polite conversation, waiting for her back-up to arrive. She wouldn't dream of a firefight without including us, this was a family matter. The men accepted their tea hesitantly, I hoped Granny hadn't laced it with anything; I wanted them to know the wrath of the whole Valentine clan, not just the Winchester side of the family.

"I'm sorry we've come on such regrettable terms, Mrs. Valentine. But, we've carefully checked the Shinra accounts and your husband does indeed owe us the amount we discussed at our last meeting," one said. I could see the anger seething off my mother, her unhappiness was clear. I stood behind the loveseat like some kind of honor guard.

"Well, I have checked my husband's accounts and they show that he never owed Shinra anything," she replied, steel eyes narrowing dangerously.

"His numbers must be wrong then," the man said.

"Are you calling my husband a liar?" She asked, setting her cup down.

"No, ma'am, I'm just saying that his numbers might be off, that's all."

"My husband was twice the man Shinra could ever be." I heard Granny scoff at this, which was to be expected of her. "He paid his debts to your masters. Leave us be."

"I'm under strict orders to bring back what Shinra is owed, that is all we want."

"And we do not want to pay." I noticed one of the three reach for a concealed weapon, yep, it was coming down to violent threats.

"Ma'am, we're not leaving until we have the money. Even if we have to beat it out of you."

"Oh dear! You're a monster, threatening a poor, defenseless widow. I might just crack," Mother was over-dramatizing, placing a hand to her forehead as her other hand reached around for her revolver, pulling it out. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Did you think the heiress to the best rifle company on the continent would go around unarmed?" That was our cue, I pulled out my handgun as Granny cocked and raised her iconic cane-rifle. The three men were armed as well. This was going exactly as we hoped. I'm not totally sure who fired first, I just know that there was a gunshot, and it was on.

Valentine manor had been build for defense, as proven by the numerous concealed passageways throughout the home. We had learned how to exploit them to the best possible effect. It turned out the Shinra suits were Turks and that they hadn't come alone, several infantry men from Shinra's private army had tagged along. But they had never faced three intelligent gunners in a private residence built for these kinds of situations. It has been said that my mother is the best shot on the continent, if not the world. Since she married and had children, her skills had deteriorated a bit, not doing as much training as she once did. I suppose I could be considered the best shot, seeing as I was trained from my youth by her. From the time I could walk, I had been taught how to properly handle a gun. Granny wasn't too shabby in her old age, provided she had someone or something he help her with the kickback of her cane-rife. She designed it herself, which meant it was, in her words, the best damn gun on the planet. Even in her old age, she did not stop designing guns; her pet project right now is to create a three-barreled gun.

In the end, the men from Shinra couldn't stand up against the three of us, running like frightened dogs for the door. The infantry men were the first to go, the Turks took a little longer to deal with. I took one out; getting a clean shot through his leg. It was in our policy to maim, but not kill in this fight. He left limping, leaving his two comrades to deal with us. We tracked the two down and cornered them in the entrance hall.

"Give up?" My mother asked playfully.

"You haven't heard the last from Shinra!" One said as they took off running. Granny cackled insanely, heading to shut the door.

"Y'all come back now, ya hear?" She said at their retreating forms…….

"Holy Shit, Vince! You could've died!" Reno cursed, amazed at his lover's story. Vincent just gave him this smug little smile.

"But I didn't. We all got through it fine, Granny had a few powder burns, but nothing more. They never did come back. Of course, when I joined the Turks, I claimed that I was doing it to pay off my father's debt," Vincent replied.

"So what happened to them once you died?" Reno asked.

"According to Merc, mother commited suicide a few years after I was reported MIA, she was having a hard time without father and me. Granny's still plodding along, amazingly. She just turned one hundred and three. She's the one who made Cerberus for me."

"Vince, your family is fucked up, yo." The gunner's deep laugh rang out, truer words had never been spoken.

VRVRVRVRVRVRVR

9 of 40


	10. Insatiable

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer: **It's not mine!

A/N: Yaaay! I's graduated! Slowly getting into my summer mode. What's distracted me from these lately is an epic story between Vincent and Reno set in a Medieval AU, very spiffy. I've a few friends pushing me to work on it, so the 40 kind of took a back seat. Anyways, I'm going to shoot for regularly updating this fic, kk?

--

_L. 11 "And nobody knows you like I do, 'cause the world just doesn't understand." - Darren Hayes, "Insatiable"_

The reason Vincent and Reno has been able to remain together was the quiet understanding they had about one another. In the past, Reno had drifted from relationship to relationship because no one could accept the fact he was a loudmouth Turk with something of a drinking problem and a job that required him to keep odd hours. Vincent, on the other hand, knew the stresses of being a Turk, which were unknown to the common crowd, having been one once upon a time. He was quite content to allow Reno to snuggle up on the couch, beer in one hand, while he bitched about his day, an upcoming or previous mission, or simply rambled on about trivial, everyday matters. The occasional midnight calls did not disturb the gunner in the least, who merely kissed his boyfriend goodbye and went back to sleep as Reno headed out the door to do whatever was required of him. True, those calls were quite awkward when they interrupted sex, but they couldn't be ignored.

Likewise, Reno was perfectly accepting of having a broody, vampire-ish immortal for a significant other. He knew a broken man when he saw one, having been broken in the past, and understood that the gunslinger just needed to be left to his own devices sometimes and needed to be cuddled others. Vincent didn't talk much but his body language spoke novels. Reno could take one look at Vincent and know immediately what he wanted or needed. He knew when Vincent needed food, when he craved attention or sex, and especially if he needed to go to the local shooting range and unload a few dozen bullets into a target. And if Vincent disappeared for a week or so? It was okay with Reno as long as a note written in familiar flowing handwriting was left on the nightstand and a certain tri-barreled gun was missing from its familiar location. The sex when Vincent returned from these trips was well worth the loneliness for, what was usually, a short amount of time. For other couples, this might have been maddening, but it was certainly a good excuse to call up your buddies and have a night out catching up with them.

Of course, things weren't always perfect, arguments occurred every now and again. If things got heated, there was a tendency for violence, but no permanent damage had yet to occur. Injuries healed, egos recovered, and peace was always restored. Anyone on the outside looking in might see a couple needed counseling, and even a few close friends did too.

It just worked, this unconventional, mismatched relationship. Heads certainly turned when they walked down the street together, Reno attached to Vincent's arm, yammering on about something, while the gunman's humor was betrayed by that little glint in his crimson eyes. Whispers asked how they made it work and there really wasn't an answer. They just understood each other, and that was enough for them.

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A/N: An update? Yes. Short? Decidedly so. I am happy with it? Of course.

Reviews are truly lovely things and I appreciate them greatly.


	11. Temperature

40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer: **Not mine!

A/N: I am so very sorry for not having uploaded anything all summer! I feel quite ashamed! Hope this story is apology enough.

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T. 07 – Temperature

"Hands up against the wall, yo," was all he head as the weight of an EMR settled gently against his shoulder. Vincent Valentine put his hands up in a surrender gesture, facing the wall and placing his hands upon it as instructed.

"Sorry, officer, is there anything wrong?" He asked, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"No, sir, just routine procedure. Random concealed weapons check, nothin' to be worried about," was the reply he received. Vincent felt hands settle on his shoulders, quickly giving them a soft pat before moving to feel each arm, carefully ensuring nothing was strapped underneath the black leather, Vincent jumped slightly as those same hands came to rest on his chest with a "thwap!" and began traveling down his torso, around to his lower back, pausing to give his ass a squeeze.

"I'll need to do a full cavity search in a moment, hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no officer, I don't mind at all," Vincent said in a husky voice, smiling. The hands continued their journey, traveling down the left leg and up the right, slipping back to settle on his hips, undoing the belt and unbuttoning the leather pants before slipping in to fondle his cock.

"Oh yeah, this is definitely a dangerous weapon, needs further inspection." A gentle kiss was placed on Vincent's shoulder as the man shuddered under the touch.

"Inspect all you like, officer."

"DAMMIT YOU TWO! TAKE YOUR GAY INTO YOUR OWN ROOM!" Vincent and Reno visibly jumped, Reno quickly moving away from Vincent as he redid his pants and belt. Cid had snuck up on them, interrupting their fun. The Highwind's captain was obviously displeased, looking away from his friend and ex-enemy.

"Sorry Cid, we didn't expect you to come this way," Vincent said, smirking.

"Obviously! There is a reason I let you two have quarters together, you know," Cid replied, grumbling as he walked off. Vincent looked over at Reno, smirking.

"So… officer, we taking this to the station?"

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11 of 40.

A/N: Since this is the 40 stories and this is one of my most popular fics of all time… whoever gets the 40th review will be able to request a fic of me!


	12. The Damage is Done

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer: **Nothing you see in this fic belongs to me.

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_T.28 – The Damage is Done_

Reno had really screwed up this time. Vince could forgive anything but this. He was almost in tears as he held two pieces of red cloth in his hands.

"It's okay Vince, we'll find you a new one just like it," Reno said in a comforting voice, putting a hand on his distraught lover's shoulder, not understanding the full extent of the damage.

"Reno, you don't understand, I can't just _replace_ it! That goes against family tradition," Vincent replied, his voice full of sadness.

"Vince… it's just a cape, it can be re-made," Reno said.

"It's not "just a cape!" It's _my_ cape! The one given to me on my 18th birthday as a symbol of my place in the Valentine family. It's an odd tradition, I know, but it's part of who I am, I can't just let it go," Vincent explained, moving away from Reno, the remains of his cape cradled in his arms. "Your cape is your cape, you can't replace it! You make small repairs but must keep all imperfections as a sign of your achievements. A huge rip created by your boyfriend is NOT a sign of achievement!" With that, Vincent stormed into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. With a heavy sigh and tears, he placed the destroyed cape in a garment box and placed it on the top shelf of the closet, mourning the loss of his cape.

Reno didn't really understand what was so special about the ratty old cape, it was just cloth and leather, nothing to get so worked up over. Yes, he had accidentally ripped the thing nearly in two, but it could be easily replaced by one just like it… right? With a sigh and a resolve to set things right, Reno went over to the computer he was supposed to use to get some work done at home and pulled up the Internet browser. It was a few weeks before Christmas and he still had a bit of gift-buying to do.

By Christmas Eve, it was clear Vincent was still angry with Reno. No one dared ask why, but they knew it had something to do with Vincent's infamous cape. He usually wore it when the weather got bad and especially when it snowed. In fact, on Christmas he would pin a bit of white, fur trim to the bottom of the cowl, making he look like "a Gothic Santa Clause," as Cid put it. When Vincent showed up to the annual AVALANCHE Christmas party sans cape, everyone was suspicious.

"Maybe he's finally ditched the caped look," Yuffie whispered to Cid, watching Vincent as he gave himself a little shake to remove the last of the snow from his body, a move usually hidden by the cape.

"Yeah? Say anything about it and I bet you'll get the patented 'Vincent Glare 'O Doom'," Cid replied, putting out his cigarette in the ash tray on the table. Tifa had decorated the bar well for the holidays and it would be closed while their party went on.

"Hi Vincent, is Reno coming?" Tifa asked, pouring the gunner a glass of his preferred wine.

"Yes, he said he just needed to pick up a few last-minute things," Vincent replied, nodding his thanks as he took the glass and moved to sit with Cid and Yuffie.

The party was in full swing when Reno finally arrived, a few boxes in his hands. Vincent had brought the bulk of their shared gifts for the group when he came. Reno had wanted to get a few himself for those people he shared a good relationship with. Once passing all but one fairly large box out, he slid onto the couch next to Vincent, kissing his cheek.

"Sorry I'm late, you," he said. Vincent made a noise of acknowledgement; he was in a slightly better mood than the past few weeks. "I got ya something special." Reno placed the large box into Vincent's lap, watching the man's quizzical expression. Slowly, he tore off the green wrapping paper, removed the lid of the box, and moved aside the tissue paper covering something. His eyes went wide as he saw what it was.

"Reno…" he began, his voice quiet.

"Now, before you get angry, let me explain. I did some searching and was able to find the tailors who created all of your family's original capes. The company's still around, so I took your old one to them and asked what they could do. The cowl is the same one, seeing as it wasn't damaged; the actual cape part is new but has been painstakingly aged and weathered to look exactly like your old one… without the large rip of course," Reno explained. Vincent looked as though he was about to cry, but pulled Reno into a kiss instead.

"This is the best gift you could ever have gotten me," he said, smiling.

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A/N: Happy Holidays, whichever you choose to celebrate at this time of year! And I do apologize for a severe lack of updates. My life has been really busy lately and I just got a job at a local fabric store. I haven't really had the time nor motivation to sit down a write. I will try harder in the new year to work on stuff.


	13. Just Like You

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno**

**Disclaimer:** It's not mine!

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_L.28__ You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you. // Three Days Grace - "Just Like You"_

Vincent felt very uncomfortable as Reno led him towards a condo somewhere on the outskirts of Edge. It wasn't the neighborhood that unnerved him, oh no, it was actually quite nice. It was the fact that Reno was bringing him to meet his mother that had him quaking in his boots.

"It'll be okay, yo, my ma's cool about shit," Reno had said in attempt to reassure the gunner, pulling him along. That was when a nearby door opened up and a man was unceremoniously thrown out into the street.

"Crazy bitch!" He called out, spluttering. Vincent and Reno shared a look, wondering what was going on.

"Serves ya right, yo!" She called back. Reno was striding forward, starting to pull out his EMR. Vincent stopped him, deciding to handle this himself, it would calm his nerves.

"What do we have here? Old slum scum come back to fester anew?" Vincent asked in that almost lazy tone that denoted trouble. Reno couldn't help but smile. The man scooted backwards, seeing Vincent and obviously recognizing who he was. Vincent didn't like the publicity that came from helping save the world twice over, but it came in handy every now and again.

"No sir, absolutely not!" He said quickly.

"So you have an explanation for your poor treatment of this woman?"

"She's the one who's treated me poorly, sir," the man replied, getting a bit braver. Vincent shook his head.

"You know what I do to men who don't respect a woman properly? That brass claw isn't just for show, you know," Vincent said with an evil smile. As quick as he could, the man escaped the imposing gunner, running away without a second glance. Vincent watched him go, bemused glint in his eyes.

"Awww, I think I may have found a new knight in shining armor!" was the woman's thanks.

"He's _my _knight in shining armor, ma," Reno stated, coming to take Vincent's arm. "Vincent, this is my mother, ma, this is my boyfriend Vincent Valentine." What little color Vincent had immediately drained from his face. Reno's mother was a pretty thing with the same red hair and warm smile as her son.

"Well then! Come on inside, now that the garbage has been tossed out," she replied with a smile and a wink, entering into the condo. Reno took Vincent's hand and led him inside. "When Reno said he found himself a boyfriend, I didn't expect someone like you, Mr. Valentine."

"Vincent, please, Mrs…"

"Ella, Ella Woodruff." Reno looked surprised.

"You didn't tell me you went back to your maiden name, yo," Reno commented.

"What did you expect, the douche bag is dead. Why should I carry his name around anymore, yo?" Vincent couldn't help but chuckle, indeed, this was Reno's mother. "But enough about that! This is about you and your boyfriend, not what happened years ago."

Once inside, they were talking merrily around the dinner table. Reno's mother had crafted a nice dinner for them with a good amount of alcohol. She had provided red wine for Vincent, regular beer for Reno and herself. Once the meal was finished, Vincent aided cleaning up. Standing next to Ella, he felt a little calmer as he washed the dishes. Reno sat on the counter, watching them, still nursing his beer.

"I love a man who's willing to clean up," Ella said with a smile, drying another dish as Vincent handed it to her. Vincent smiled slightly as he started washing another plate. "He's a real catch, Reno." The red head shared a loving glance with Vincent.

"Yeah, I'm real lucky he decides to put up with me," he stated, sliding off the counter and coming over to kiss Vincent on the cheek. Vincent smiled, nuzzling Reno and gently nipping at Reno's neck.

After washing up, Reno and Vincent slipped out to the upper balcony, Reno smoking and Vincent standing next to him, drinking more of the red wine.

"You were right, your mother is cool," Vincent said, smiling as he drunk his wine. Reno smiled, sliding closer to Vincent, leaning against him.

"Yeah, I don't know how the hell she got that way, having to deal with my dad and all," Reno replied. Vincent put an arm around Reno, gently kissing the top of his head.

"What was he like, your father?" Vincent asked. Reno sighed; he was afraid Vincent was going to ask about that.

"He was an asshole…. and he wasn't my real dad. I don't know who my real dad was; just that he didn't want me. Ma told me a long time ago… My real dad wanted me aborted. Ma left him right away. She had me when she was 16, which was bad for her in the long run, I think. Dropped out of school, lost contact with her folks, the works. She supported herself for a couple of years before meeting my Step-dad. Started out as a real nice guy to her and to me, but I always knew he was something of a dick. I could tell, but ma was in love with him and they got married. He tried turning her into the classic working-class wife, but she wouldn't have any of it, never quite took to the stereotype. She wouldn't take any of his crap, none of the beatings, none of the bitching he did. So, he went to the one front that could keep her quiet: me. I soon learned to stay out of the house as much as possible. Rarely coming home, I started joining up with gangs and rough crowds. Got me kicked out of the house too. Eventually, I joined up with the Turks, which really screwed up my credibility with my step-dad." Vincent nuzzled into Reno, trying to reassure him. "I vowed I'd never be like him."

"And you aren't, Reno," Ella said, standing in the sliding door. Reno looked up, smiling at him mother. She quickly came to kiss his cheek. "You'll never be like him, you aren't an asshole and I don't think Vincent would ever let you become one. Oh, and Vincent, if he ever gets like that, you have my full permission to kick his ass until his demeanor improves." Reno paled a bit as both Vincent and his mother shared a laugh.

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13 of 40


	14. Grey

**40 Stories: Vince/Reno**

by

Draco's Daughter

**Disclaimer:** I don't own this stuff.

A/N: It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry for the lag between updates. If you'd like a more epic Reno/Vince story, go see my fic "Shades of Yesterday."

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_T.32 – Grey_

Reno could only watch as Vincent entered into their bedroom, clad only in a robe of vibrant red silk. As the tall gunner approached the bed it slipped off from around him, lying forgotten on the floor. Reno smiled as the other man crawled over the bed to hover over him, pinning him down…. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Reno rolled over with a loud, unhappy groan. On auto-pilot he hit the snooze button on the alarm clock, trying to go back to sleep. He reached towards where Vincent usually lay next to him to only find a warm spot. Opening his eyes to see if his lover was still in the room and possibly up for some early morning fun, Reno found only the blankets and an open door. Reno got up, stretching and yawning, to see where his lover had gone. A quick glance at the clock told him it was 6:30 a.m. He had around a hour before work.

Vincent was in the kitchen, preparing his usual morning drink, humming lightly. Reno shuffled in like a zombie, wrapping his arms around Vincent's waist and settling his head on Vincent's shoulder.

"Good morning," The tall gunner stated, smiling slightly as he went about his business, a still-sleepy Reno hanging onto him.

"Cooooffeeeee," Reno stated, drawing out the work like the stereotypical zombie asking for brains, causing Vincent to chuckle lightly.

"Here, try some of this," Vincent said, handing him a steaming mug of something. Reno accepted it, taking a small sip. He paused, it was different and new.

"What is it?" He asked, looking at Vincent, who took the mug back and took a sip of it himself.

"Earl Grey Tea, my drink." Reno shook his head.

"Cooooooffffeeee," he stated, going over to the coffee pot. Vincent chuckled, there was no changing that man, no matter how small the change.

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A/N: I don't know how much I like this one but… here ya go. Just switched over to a new comp and Sims2 has been taking over my time.


	15. Ever the Same

**40 Mixed: Vincent/Reno  
**by  
Draco's Daughter

**Disclaimer: **Ownership is all an illusion, does anyone really own anything? (a.k.a. Nothing is mine. XD)

A/N: Work plus school has been keeping me away, sorry.

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_L.34 – "Call on me; I'll be there for you, and you'll be there for me." _Rob Thomas – "Ever the Same"

Weak morning sunlight filtered in through the large loft window. Rude blinked his eyes, squeezing them shut. He didn't want to wake up, not yet. He had only been asleep for a few hours, just having gotten in from a rather long and tiring mission. Rufus was generous with his Turks; he wouldn't expect Rude back at headquarters for at least 12 hours after his mission. He only rolled over, burying his face in the soft pillow beneath him. A few moments later, someone came into the room, pulling the shades over the window. Rude grunted his thanks, trying to go back to sleep. Vincent just smiled, quietly heading into the small kitchen. Both Reno and Rude had entered into the apartment at around 3 a.m. that morning.

It was a common occurrence for Rude to sleep over after a long mission. It didn't bother Vincent in the least to see his boyfriend's partner crashed on their couch, sleeping. Rude was family to Reno, which meant he was welcome at any time. Rude would to the same. In all honesty, Vincent couldn't remember how many times he had crashed on Veld's couch after missions. Thinking of his old partner brought a small smile to Vincent's usually stoic features as he quietly made his usual morning tea. Silently, he drank his cup of Earl Grey; once it was drained, he set the cup in the sink, wrote a short note to Reno, and headed out of the apartment, pulling out his cell to make a call.

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It was mid-afternoon in Kalm. A small park just outside of the town was a popular spot for families and couples. It was a quiet place where one could think. Sitting on a bench was a older man, likely in his early 70s, his face turned up to feel the warmth of the sun. He was the only one who heard the silent approach of one Vincent Valentine.

"Guess us legends can't stay dead like we're supposed to, eh, Valentine?" Veld asked, a small smirk on his face. Vincent chuckled lightly, sitting down next to him, holding up a brown paper bag wrapped around a bottle.

"Brought the wine," Vincent said, smirking lightly.

"Good, I brought the bread and cheese," Veld replied, motioning towards the basket by his feet. That was all it took for a good afternoon between old friends.

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A/N: Hey, lookit! It's an update! We don't know exactly who Vincent's partner was, or if he even had a partner, but I like the idea that it was Veld. It just seems like the two of them would've raised hell back in the day if they were.


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